Educating future leaders to engage the challenges of a changing world: A blended-learning approach to character and leadership education at the University of Hong Kong.

Abstract

How can a new generation of students be equipped to take up positions of responsibility in a dynamic global environment, serving as leaders and citizens who will further the good of societies around the world? As the institutions responsible for educating the next generation of citizens and leaders at a formative time in their intellectual and personal development, universities have an important role to play in shaping those who will shape society. While many universities emphasize their desire to raise up future leaders for our challenging times, programmes that actively seek to help students develop qualities of character required for responsible leadership are rare. This article discusses the importance of character in leadership education and draws on a case study programme at the University of Hong Kong, which made use of a creative combination of in-person and online learning to help students grow in their intellectual understanding of leadership as well as in the self-knowledge and virtues of character required to enact responsible leadership in their own lives. The article describes the pedagogical methodology that was employed and presents the results of an exploratory, quasi-experimental longitudinal study of the programme's impact, which was designed to establish proof of concept. The analysis of qualitative data supports the potential of such programmes to make a positive contribution to students' intellectual understanding of leadership as well as their leadership identity and ethical formation¹.